Police hunt shotgun wielding men over home invasion

Peter Hardwick
Reporter
Peter started in 1976 as apprentice typesetter/comp and has 32 years with The Chronicle in three stints (in between working/holidays in UK/Europe, Brisbane and Melbourne). Entered editorial from comp room in 1996.

TOOWOOMBA police are searching for two men believed to have been involved in a frightening home invasion in the city.

Officer in Charge of Toowoomba Criminal Investigation Branch, Detective Senior Sergeant Paul McCusker, said police believed three men had forced their way into a Kearneys Spring home on Friday morning, one of them armed with a shortened shotgun.

"Demands were made as to the location of registered firearms at the address," he said.

"As a result the three males received a number of licensed firearms and left in one of the occupant's vehicles."

Police on Friday afternoon conducted a search of another address and found six firearms believed to have been stolen from the Kearneys Spring address as well as the alleged shortened shotgun and the vehicle believed taken from the Kearneys Spring address.

Dale Richard Robinson was taken into custody as a result of the search and he appeared before Toowoomba Magistrates Court yesterday on a number of charges including two counts of armed robbery with violence and in company, two counts of deprivation of liberty, and one each of entering a premises with intent, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, unlawful possession of weapons, unlawful possessing of explosives (believed to be ammunition), receiving tainted property and trafficking in dangerous drugs.

His solicitor John Davis (MacDonald Law) applied for bail on the 32-year-old's behalf, telling the court there was no direct evidence linking his client to the address of the alleged home invasion.

Mr Davis submitted the only evidence linking his client to the matter was that some items allegedly stolen from the Kearneys Spring residence were found during the police search of the residence he was at when arrested.

Detective Snr Sgt McCusker said the accused was known to the complainants and police were continuing inquiries looking for the two men alleged to have also been involved.

Magistrate Kay Ryan told Robinson that because it was alleged a firearm had been used the defendant had to show cause why detention was not necessary.

Ms Ryan found cause had not been shown and refused bail.

Robinson was remanded in custody with the case adjourned to June 28 back in the same court for mention.